One Sunday during a church Bible study on salvation, the Bible study leader spoke about the coming judgement and told us that God keeps a record of the things we do and we will be judged according to our works.
Someone asked why God follows us recording everything we do to judge us on the last day when He Himself had said we're saved when we believe in Christ.
The leader asked the congregation if any of us had an answer and I shared my opinion. I gave quite a lengthy explanation on the difference between the judgment of Christians and the judgment of the world, the various crowns and rewards that will be given on the last day, and the fact that our lives are an eternal record of the glory of God and an example to the world.
Everyone seemed to like what I said and I was applauded. After church, one of the junior pastors told me that he liked my answer during the Bible study class and I left, feeling a warm glow inside.
As I thought about it, my mind was opened and I understood. How wrong I was. How wrong we all were.
God does not follow us keeping a record of our lives to judge us with it. He records every detail of our lives SIMPLY BECAUSE HE LOVES US!
The Holy Spirit said to me that like human parents take several pictures of their babies and continue to keep letters, toys, pictures and other belongings of their children simply because they love them and want to remember every detail of their lives, so does He.
But because He is God, He does it in the way only God can. Every part of our bodies is written in His book. (Psalm 139:16). Every tear we shed is kept in His bottle and written in His book. (Psalm 56:8). Every little thing we do is written down by Him, like a human parent would write in a diary, "Joojo took his first steps today" or "Today, Abby learnt how to bake a cake".
All our thoughts are written in His book, the good and bad things we do. Its all there. But He loves to rejoice in the good and forgive and blot out the bad.
Imagine God writing in His diary, " Today, Bertha gave me her heart and I now live in her heart. I'm so ecstatic ". Or, " Today, John was faced with a difficult choice. Even though he was hungry and had only a little money, he gave that money to someone who needed it more than he did. He walked away with an empty stomach and a smile in his heart. He pleased me and I will reward him".
God delights in us. He records everything about us because He is madly in love with us. He has counted all the hairs on our heads, imagine that! He tells His angels, "this is my child. Take good care of her. Follow her everywhere she goes and make sure she does not dash her foot against a stone".
God is our father and He loves to brag about us. See how He boasted about Job to the devil. He's the best dad in the universe. Hallelujah!
Yes, in the end, we will be judged and rewarded according to our works. But the primary purpose for which God records every detail about our lives is LOVE.
If we ask for forgiveness, He will blot out every wrong thing. It will be expunged from our record and will never be found. If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Hallelujah.
Pastor Roland Buck in the book "Angels on Assignment" related that he was taken to the throne room of God where he spoke with God. God showed him Abraham's file and he saw the good things Abraham had done while on earth, like his hospitality to strangers. However, Abraham's sins, like lying about Sarah being his wife and doubting God's plan for his life were not in the file. When Roland Buck asked about it, God told him that when He forgives us, He forgets our sins and also forgets that He has forgiven us.
Glory to God. If we ask for forgiveness, the blood of the Jesus will cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we understand that God loves us, we will not fear the coming judgment. Amen
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